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BG girls use defense to earn trip to Hershey

Mirror photo by Michael Boytim BG’s Leah Homan tries to catch Hershey Kisses thrown at her as her teammates celebrate Tuesday night’s victory.

ROCHESTER — The Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic girls basketball team looked as though it was ready to pack bags for Hershey to play in the state final leading by 13 points heading into the fourth quarter of its PIAA Class 1A semifinal against WPIAL champion Rochester on Tuesday.

But the Lady Rams worked their way back into the game and had the ball with a chance to tie and just 13.7 seconds left.

For the second straight year, the Lady Marauders were facing the possibility that dreams of playing for a state championship could be dashed just when they were at their highest point.

There was nothing they could do about the coronavirus pandemic last season, but this year, Aurielle Brunner forced Corynne Hauser into a deep 3-point attempt that clanged off the rim and then boxed two Lady Rams out from getting the rebound.

Teresa Haigh finished off a monster night with a pair of free throws to seal the game with 5.5 seconds left, and Bishop Guilfoyle’s players burst into a raucous celebration when the final buzzer made their 55-50 triumph official.

“It feels insane,” Haigh said. “We have worked all year for this. We have worked all offseason for this. Just to have the opportunity back again after everything that happened with COVID is an unreal feeling.”

Rochester chose to open the game playing a zone defense, and Haigh feasted on it with 14 points in the first quarter and 24 in the first half, including her sixth 3-pointer of the game just before the half to give the Lady Marauders a 34-29 lead. “When we see a zone, we tend to be shocked, because we have kids that shoot the ball so well,” Bishop Guilfoyle coach Kristi Kaack said. “But on top of that, we found the open person and moved the ball really quickly. I’m proud of the ball movement, and I think that’s what got us so many wide-open shots.”

Rochester coach C.J. Iannini took responsibility for the decision to play zone after the game and said it may have cost his team the game.

“The first half is on me,” Iannini said. “We went with a zone, and the girl drained six 3s in the first half. We made some adjustments at the half.”

With the Lady Rams playing tighter on Haigh, Leah Homan got things going for Bishop Guilfoyle and scored her team’s first seven points of the second half to put the Lady Marauders up 41-31.

“At the beginning, they were all over me, so we went to Teresa,” Homan said. “Then, they focused on Teresa, and I got things going. Teresa and I just rotate and know when to step up for each other and our team.”

Sophia Warner made BG’s 10th and final 3-pointer of the game late in the third quarter to start a 7-2 run that made it 48-35 with eight minutes to play.

But Rochester didn’t quit.

The Lady Marauders went just 3-of-9 from the foul line before Haigh’s two makes with 5.5 seconds left, and Hauser scored 10 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter. Her layup with 40 seconds left pulled the Lady Rams within three points.

Haigh, who finished with a game-high 28 points, missed two free throws to set up Rochester’s final chance to tie the game.

“We felt like we were on the cusp of getting over the hump, and then the momentum would swing right back and go the other way,” Iannini said. “They would go back up two possessions, but hat’s off to that team. They are fantastic, and we wish them good luck at states.”

Rochester got a team-high 24 points from Alexis Robison and 12 rebounds from Alysha Martin, who had the size advantage on Homan in the paint.

That didn’t stop the standout junior from grabbing 11 rebounds of her own to go with her 17 points. Brunner led Bishop Guilfoyle with 12 rebounds.

The Lady Marauder starters, Haigh, Homan, Warner, Brunner and Daniela Scipioni, played the entire game despite Warner picking up two fouls with 6:39 to play in the first quarter.

“We’re all in shape, and we all work hard,” Homan said. “We love each other so much, and it doesn’t matter how tired we are. We know we have to be out there for each other.”

Bishop Guilfoyle will be playing in its first state championship game since losing to Steelton-Highspire in 2011. The Lady Marauders’ opponent will be Jenkintown, a 48-26 winner over Northumberland Christian in the other semifinal, on Friday at Hershey’s Giant Center at noon. Jenkintown defeated Juniata Valley in the 2018 PIAA championship game.

The championship berth for the Lady Marauders comes a season after they upset two-time defending PIAA Class 2A champion Bellwood-Antis in the District 6 playoffs, went on to win a district title and were playing their best basketball when their season was stopped in the PIAA quarterfinals.

“This is amazing, especially for these kids,” Kaack said. “My heart breaks for the seniors that were with us last year that don’t get the opportunity, but we were doing this for them, too. We’re just happy to have the opportunity and excited to be playing on Friday.”

Haigh, Warner and Brunner all played as freshmen when Bishop Guilfoyle didn’t make it out of the first round of districts.

“This is all unfinished business,” Warner said. “We are so excited to be back in this position. We’re trying to grab what we never got the chance to last year.”

Now, Warner and her teammates are one win away from winning it all.

“What’s next is we’re going to Hershey,” Haigh said. “And we’re getting a state championship.”

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (55): Warner 2 3-6 8, Homan 6 2-2 17, Scipioni 1 0-0 2, Haigh 9 4-6 28, Brunner 0 0-1 0. Totals — 18 9-15 55.

ROCHESTER (50): A. Robison 10 0-0 24, Hauser 6 4-4 16, M. Robison 1 0-0 2, Martin 1 1-2 3, Seybert 1 0-0 3, Witt 1 0-0 2. Totals — 20 5-6 50.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Bishop Guilfoyle 19 15 14 7 — 55

Rochester 14 15 6 15 — 50

3-point goals: Bishop Guilfoyle 10 (Haigh 6, Homan 3, Warner); Rochester 5 (A. Robison 4, Seybert).

Records: Bishop Guilfoyle (16-4); Rochester (16-4).

Officials: Andy White, Mike Pruss, Jim Settembrino

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